Federal Air Marshals

The Federal Air Marshal Service has existed since long before the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The attacks of 9/11 only succeeded in bringing this program back into the spotlight. While it has been known by different names over the years, the general mission of the organization has remained the same since its creation.

The idea behind creating an agency to protect passengers in flight was born when a rash of hijackings of U.S. commercial aircraft broke out in the 1960s. In 1970, the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Treasury signed an agreement which gave the U.S. Customs Service the responsibility of eliminating the threat of aircraft hijackings. It was no easy task, but the Customs Service was able to create an program which was officially known as the Customs Air Security Officers Program, more commonly referred to as the Sky Marshal Program. The concept of the program was essentially the same, armed men and women who dressed like normal passengers were deployed on passenger flights ready to prevent or stop a hijacking attempt in seconds. The program was successful, but was phased out in 1974 with the introduction of x-ray screening equipment into our nation's airports.

The program did not start back up again until 1985, when President Ronald Regan ordered the expansion the armed Sky Marshal Program for international flights of U.S. carriers. Congress supported the program and passed into law the International Security and Development Cooperation Act.

After the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush ordered the further expansion of the Sky Marshal Program to include all flights of U.S. carriers, foreign and domestic. From the 9/11 attacks the Federal Air Marshal Service that we know of today was born. The main mission of protecting U.S. carriers and flight passengers has remained nearly the same, but the Federal Air Marshal Service of today has an ever increasing role in Homeland Security and anti-terrorism operations world wide. The Air Marshal Service is currently the lead law enforcement agency within the Transportation Security Agency.

Federal Air Marshal Service training is rated as amongst the toughest of any other law enforcement agency in the nation, especially their firearms qualification course, and for good reason. The environment in which the Air Marshal operates is too confined to allow for error, and Air Marshals lack the one luxury which many law enforcement officers may take for granted...backup. When a hijacking attempt is made at 30,000 feet, the Air Marshal can't get on the radio and call in the cavalry, he or she is expected to neutralize the hostile situation quickly and with a limited number of resources.

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Federal Air Marshals. Federal Air Marshal Service.

Our Mission. Federal Air Marshal Service.

Our People. Federal Air Marshal Service.